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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES 01* aIHERICA 



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THE 



T A I L O R'S 



SCIENTIFIC GUIDE: 



MATHEMATICAL PRINCIPLE 



BALANCING, DRAFTING, AND CUTTING 



BY A. S. DE LANY, 



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SECOND EDITION. 




NEW YORK: 

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 
1849. 




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Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by 

A. S. DE LANY, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. 



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INTRODUCTION TO THE TRADE. 



Gentlemen : — Permit me to present to you for examin- 
ation a Mathematical System for Balancing, Drafting, and 
Cutting Pantaloons, arranged from different measures, and 
represented by different diagrams, giving, for the different 
shapes and sizes, a correct position to the top, which is 
the Balance ; the divisions being so arranged upon a 
square, that they may be cut in any style that fashion or 
taste may require, leaving the same Balance. 

To this I might append, that with the encouragement I 
have already received, having disposed of the First Edi- 
tion of this work, together with the many certificates of 
its correctness from the Trade,* I now offer this my 
Second Edition ; and in presenting it, being fully assured 
of its correctness, I think an explanation of the different 
drafts will be sufficient to convince any one that the prin- 
ciple laid down is correct, it being purely mathematical. 

Respectfully, 

THE AUTHOR. 



* These testimonials will be shown when required. 



5T^ T^t Tt^T^i 



FOR USING THE 



1 



EXPLANATION FOR MEASURING. 

First measure the outside length from the height to the sole of boot, say 
41 inches; then the length of the leg seam to the same, say 31 inches; 
this measure should be taken with great care, and for spring-bottom pants 
without straps ^ inch added to the length ; then the waist measure, 
say 29 inches ; then the belly measure, taken halfway between the waist 
and hips, say 34 inches ; then the hip measure, taken around the most 
prominent part, say 36 inches; then the thigh measure, taken on the dress 
side up to the thigh joint, say 24 inches, (this measure should also be 
taken with care,) which will on proportional forms be two-thirds of the 
hip measure ; a proportionable sized leg for the measure laid down would 
be about 20 inches at the knee, 16 or 17 at the ankle, and about 20 at the 
bottom ; although they can be cut any size required ; for a large man note 
the distance to the knee, and for strap pantaloons measure the instep 
and heel. 



EXPLANATION OF THE SQUARE. 

On the square is a division of the waist, hip and thigh measures ; 
No. 6 on the long arm is of the waist, and Nos. 1, 2 and 3, marked hip 
at the end, are of the hip, and No. 8 on the short arm ; also Nos. 1, 2 
and 3, on the long arm, marked at the end thigh, are of the thigh ; and 
Nos 4, 5 and 7 on the short arm ; the divisions all being numbered they 
are to be used as directed in the explanation of the different drafts ; the 
divisions all work from the size to the end at the elbow Avith the excep- 
tion of division No. 8 on the short arm, which works from the size to the 
other end. 



riate isT" 2 



Plate ¥" 1. 




PLATE FIRST. 

EXPLANATION FOR DRAFTING THE FOREPART. 

First, square the top of the cloth by the edge as represented by the 
diagram, and note the full length from 1 to 2 ; then square hne A, at the 
bottom from the edge, by letting the square at the elbow touch the edge, 
and at the top of the long arm lay in about 1| inch, which is to get it on 
a square with line B ; then before moving the square go in on line A, any 
distance required to get the seam on the bias, say 1| inch ; then turn the 
square over and get the width of the forepart, by using the inches on the 
short arm, say 6 inches ; and before moving it establish the top of the foot, 
(or line B which represents the same,) as far from the outside seam as you 
wish the seam to come from the top of the foot, say 2^ inches ; then place 
the size of the thigh in division No. 7, on the short arm on line B, and 
mark at the end ; this gets the centre of the heel represented by letter C, 
or the star; then from the centre of the heel sweep by the length of the 
leg seam which gets sweep D ; then place the long arm of the square on 
the sweep, placing the size in division No. 1 of the thigh or hip, the one 
you are drafting by at the edge of the cloth, and mark at the size in 
divisions No. 2,3, and at the end ; then from the top of the foot to 
No. 2 on sweep D, draw line B, continuing it to the top, and from the 
same to No. 3, draw line E ; then from sweep D, go up on line E to F, 
by the size of the thigh in division No. 4, on the short arm, and make a 
mark ; then from sweep D, go up on line B to K, by the size of the thigh 
in division No. 5, on the short arm marked dia. of T ; then at the waist 
go out from line B to G, by the size of the waist in division No. 6, on the 
long arm, placing the size on line B, and mark at the end ; then turn the 
square over, and by using the inches on the square get the distance from 
G to H, by i of the waist measiire ; then turn it back and square line I, 
from G to H, by line B, which makes the top square ; then from F to G, 
draw line J ; then from K, make a sweep and finish line J, touching the 
•sweep as per diagram ; then from halfway between F and G, on line J, 
measure across 1 of the belly measure, and finish from H to the hip, 
touching the size as per diagram ; then from the outside seam at the bot- 
tom go in I inch for the spring, and from the inside seam go in 2 of an 
inch ; then from the bottom to sweep D at the hip, draw line L, and to i 
inch inside of the point at the crotch, draw line M ; then go down on line 
B, at the bottom from line A 1 inch, and on line L | inch ; then put the 
spring on the seams, and finish the bottom as represented by the diagram, 
also at the crotch touching line M, down about nine inches. 



PLATE SECOND. 

EXPLANATION FOR DRAFTING THE UNDER SIDE. 

First, find the centre of the heel on the backpart, by measuring on the 
forepart at the bottom, from Une B, to the outside seam ; then place the 
distance at the edge of the cloth, and measure in one half the size of the 
bottom, and make a mark ; then place the centre of the heel on the fore- 
part represented by letter C on the mark ; then at the waist at W, go in 
1 of the difference between the waist and hip measures, make a mark and 
place point H of the forepart on the mark, as represented by the diagram ; 
then from the centre of the heel, sweep line N by the length up to sweep 
D at the hip, and from the same, square line by line E ; then get 
the width of the backpart, by the size of the bottom ; first measure on 
the forepart at the bottom, from line B to the outside seam ; then place the 
distance at the centre of the heel, and measure out on line N half the 
size ; then from the same to the inside seam, place the distance at the 
heel, and measure out on line 0, the same ; now by the size of the ankle 
get the spring on the backpart ; first go up on line B from line A, about 
6 inches, and make a mark ; then from the same measure to the outside 
seam, place the distance at the centre of the heel, and measure out on line 
N, half the size ; then from the same to the inside seam, place the dis- 
tance at the heel, and measure out on hne the same ; now for this rea- 
son, you have these two points to move ; as the foot turns out, it turns the 
calf of the leg in, which produces size on the inside and a hollow on the 
outside, and will, if not moved twist the bottoms ; to move them as repre- 
sented by the diagram, first move the outside point in | or f of an inch, 
and the inside one out the same ; then from the bottom to the hip, draw 
line P, and to i inch outside of the point at the crotch, draw line R ; then 
on the same lines, go up from lines N and about 6 inches for the 
spring ; then finish the bottom as per diagram ; then continue sweep D 
from the point at the crotch, and go out on the same to S, by the size of 
the hip, in division No. 8 on the short arm, placing the size at the point 
and mark at the end ; then go down on line R about nine inches and 
finish the inside seam ; then from sweep D, go up on line B to T, by the 
size of the hip in division No. 2 on the long arm, marked dia. of H, and 
cast a sweep ; then from the same, go down on line B to U, by the size 
of the thigh, in division No. 5 on the short arm, marked dia. of T and 
from K by the length to U, cast sweep V; then from H at the waist, 
square to W by line E, and from the same, go out to W by i of the dif- 



ference between the waist and hip measures ; then from W to the hip, 
finish as per diagram ; then from the same, cast sweep Y by the length to 
No. 2 on sweep D ; then get the size of the waist and belly measures^ 
and finish line Z, touching the sizes and sweeps as per diagram ; then to 
find the correct place for the strap, go down from sweep D, on line B to 
S, by the size of the hip, in division No. 2 on the long arm, and from half- 
way between H and W, which is the size when made up ; cast a sweep 
by the length to S, as represented by the dotted line, and put the strap 
under the sweep ; then finish the top as required, to suit with or without 
waistbands; then before moving the forepart, notch the seams; first 
make a marlc at half the size of the forepart, and from the same, square 
across by lines L and M, as represented by the diagram ; then for the un- 
dress side, take off from the forepart as represented by the dotted lines on 
plate No. 3 ; then when making up the bottom, stretch the seams of the 
forepart i or | of an inch, and shrink them in on line B. 



EXPLANATION TO DRAFT BY THE HIP AND THIGH 
• MEASURES. 

To draft by the hip and thigli measures, where the thigh measure 
(taken as directed) equals two-thirds of the hip measure, (the same as 
36 hip and 24 thigh.) It is a proportional size, and both the forepart and 
backpart are cut by the same sizes ; but if the thigh measure does not equal 
two-thirds of the hip measure, (the same as 36 hip and 23 thigh,) then 
it is not a proportional size, and the backpart is cut by a different size. 
First draft the forepart by the thigh measure, establishing all of the 
points on the forepart (with the exception of the waist) by the thigh 
measure ; then to get the size to draft the backpart by, first take the differ- 
ence between the size that the thigh measures and the size it ought to 
measure to be in proportion to the hip, then add one-half of the same to 
itself, and the size it produces add to the hip measure and draft the back- 
part by it ; to make the explanation plain, I will get the size to draft the 
backpart by from the measure laid down. First take the difference between 
the size that the thigh measures and the size it ought to measure 
to be in proportion to the hip, (which is 1 inch;) then add one-half of 
the same to itself (which is | inch) and it produces li inch ; then add the 
li inch to 36, the size that the hip measures, and it makes 37^, the size 
to draft the backpart by ; then to draft the backpart, first find the centre 
of the heel ; then go in at the waist at W i of the difference between the 
waist and 371 (the size you are drafting by,) and place the forepart on 
the same as in plate No. 2 ; then place the size 3V| in division No. 2 on 
the long arm on hne E, where it crosses sweep D, and mark at 371 in 
division No. 1 for the outside of the backpart ; then at the end and from 
the same go out to S by the size in division No. 8 on the short arm ; 
then to get the distance from sweep D to T, go up by (the size 37^) in 
division No. 2, and make the sweep ; also to get sweep V go up by the 
thigh measure that equals 371 ; then finish the draft the same as plate 
No. 2. 



PLATE THIRD. 

These are drafted to wear without suspenders ; thej are drafted the 
same as plate No. 2, with the exception of a few variations at the top and 
outside seam, which will require a few explanations ; first, to draft the 
forepart as per diagram, commence the same as in plate No. 1, and estab- 
lish Hne B, as near the outside seam as you wish the seam to come from 
the top of the foot, say 1| inch; then get the centre of the heel, and 
sweep D, and when you place the square on the sweep, place two sizes 
less (in division No. 1) than the size you are drafting by, at the edge of 
the cloth, and mark at the full size in divisions No. 2, 3, and at the end • 
then at the top, square line I by line E, which drops them a of an inch at 
the front of waist ; then take off at point H, the same as at the hip ; 
this gives a narrow forepart, which I would recommend in almost all pan- 
taloons, as it gives to them a much better style than the wide forepart ; 
then to draft the backpart, first find the centre of the heel and place the 
forepart on the same ; then go in at the waist at W, twice the distance 
that you took off from the forepart at H ; then {- of the difference between 
the waist and hip measures, make a mark, and place point H of the fore- 
part on the mark, or go in once the distance ; then the fourth ; then the 
distance again, as represented by the diagram ; then from sweep D, o-q 
down on line B to S, by the size of the hip in division No. 2 on the long 
arm, marked dia. of H ; then from halfway between H and W, cast sweep 
Y by the length to S ; then get the size of the waist and belly measures, 
and finish the tops, also the bottoms as per diagram ; then notch them as 
represented in plate No. 2, and take off from the forepart for the undress 
as represented by the dotted lines ; the sweeps carried round, producing 
the circles in this draft, are to show the circumference of the hip and 
thigh. 



10 



PLATE FOURTH. 

These are drafted with a different top and bottom from plates No. 2 
and 3, which will require a few explanations ; although drafted upon the 
same principle, the tops are drafted for broad falls, and, for a small waist, 
require a little taken off from the forepart at the hip to straighten the out- 
side seam ; but in all cases where it is taken off it must be added to the 
backpart. The pocket bearer is cut the same shape of the forepart at the 
outside seam, and carried above the same height of the backpart at the 
hip, also giving it the same spring, and finishing it as represented by the 
diagram ; the tops being finished the same as in plate No. 2. The bottoms 
are drafted for straps, although they differ but very little from plate No. 
2. To draft them as represented by the diagram, cut the forepart half 
the size of the instep, and hollow the outside seam a little at the ankle ; 
then from the centre of the heel measure each way half the size, which leaves 
the centre in the same place for the different sizes ; then from the corner of 
the heel get the width of the straps, letting the inside one extend to the 
inside seam and the outside one within 1 or 1^ inch of the seam. This I 
would recommend in almost all strap pantaloons, as it prevents a draw 
on the outside seam, and also makes them fit much better over the foot ; 
although if you wish the seams to come on the side of the foot, they 
will come so by establishing hne B in the centre of the forepart ; the 
draft otherwise is finished the same as plate No. 2. 



11 



PLATE FIFTH. 

These are drafted for the corpulent man, and with plain bottoms. To 
draft them as represented by the diagram, first note the length to the 
knee, then the full length, then square line A at the bottom and get the 
width of the forepart, say 81 inches ; then go in from the seam about 3 
inches and establish the top of the foot, or hne B ; then from the same 
get the centre of the heel by the size the thigh measures, although 
at other places you may choose to use the thigh measure that equals the 
hip measure ; the legs can be cut any size you may choose, but should 
for large pantaloons be thrown in at the knee from a straight hne 
drawn from the bottom to the hip, from 1 to 1^ inch, always keeping 
line A at the bottom square with line B; then in all cases where 
you are cutting for the corpulent man, cut the forepart at the waist 
by the belly measure, by placing the size of the belly measure in divi- 
sion No. 6 on the long arm on line B, and mark at the end at G ; then 
get the distance from G to H by one-fourth of the same measure ; then 
from line I when squared by line B, (as represented by the dotted line,) 
go up at G one-fourth of the difference between the waist and the belly 
measures ; make a mark, and from the mark to H finish the top as repre- 
sented ; then in drafting the backpart, first find the centre of the heel, then 
go in at the waist at W one-fourth of the difference between the waist 
and hip measures, and place the forepart on the same as in plate No. 2 ; 
then get the size of the bottom and finish the leg; then take the size 
of the forepart at the waist, place it at W, and measure across half the 
size of the waist ; then apply one half the size of the belly measure and 
finish the top and line Z as represented by the diagram, this gives a large 
and correct forepart for the corpulent man, and a narrow backpart, also 
the correct distance on the backpart from S to W. 



GENERAL REMARKS UPON MEASURING AND DRAFTING. 

First, in taking the measures, they should be taken with great care, 
and as correct a measure got as possible, for without such you cannot 
expect a fitting garment of any kind or by any rule. In the first place, a 
few minutes' time spent in taking the measure, to get it correct, will not 
be lost, for it not only saves time and guesswork in drafting, but very 
often saves much time in the end. The drafts which are laid down, 
are to come just to the waist, but can be cut as high as you wish them, 
by noting the distance from the height to the waist, then the full length. 
To prevent a mistake in going down with one measure the same as the 
other, it would be well to carry them both to the floor ; then take off from 
one the same as from the other, say one-fourth or one-half inch ; the 
other measures are taken moderately tight. 

In drafting, some prefer using the hip measure to get the points at the 
crotch, and others the thigh measure ; they are both laid down on the 
square, and the one preferable can be used ; if you choose to use the 
hip measure entirely for drafting, ixse the thigh measure that equals it, 
but where the hip and thigh measures do not equal each other, I would 
recommend them to be cut as laid down in the explanations for drafting 
by the hip and thigh measures. To draft pants large and full on the 
outside over the hips, draft from line B to the crotch point on the forepart, 
and to S on the backpart by the nett size ; then add on the outside over 
the size, to make them large, as many sizes as required ; for the plaited 
front establish the points on the forepart the same as for the plain, but 
by one size larger than the nett size ; then put one-fourth of the size that 
you wish to put in for the plaits on the front at point G, and three-fourths 
on the outside at point H, extending gradually down to the ankle ; as the 
fashions are always changing, it is not necessary to lay all of the different 
styles down in diagrams, but whatever style the fashion or taste may 
require, the balance and points will be got the same as already shown in 
the different plates. 



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